


Hear My Voice in the Dark

by susieboo



Category: Carmilla (Web Series), Carmilla - J. Sheridan Le Fanu
Genre: Cute, Domestic, Domestic Fluff, Drabble, Fluff, One Shot, Other, Sleep, Sleepiness, Talking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-17
Updated: 2015-07-17
Packaged: 2018-04-09 18:12:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,175
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4359203
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/susieboo/pseuds/susieboo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set in between the start of season 2 and "Something Wicked."</p>
<p>It's not that only seeing his words typed on a screen makes their relationship with JP worth any less, but LaFontaine has been wondering what his voice sounds like for months now. And now, after several all-nighters of work, they've finally got his voice back online.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Hear My Voice in the Dark

_`Hello? Why are you still awake? You really should sleep, LaF.` _

 

LaFontaine looked up from their book when their laptop beeped, as it always did whenever JP typed out a message to them. They smiled slightly and shook their head.

 

"I'm fine, JP, I'm just working on something."

 

_`It's past four in the morning, and this is the fourth night this week you've stayed up this late. It's not good for you. Look!` _

 

Three more beeps in rapid succession, as three articles on the dangers of sleep deprivation popped up on the screen. JP did this a lot - whenever he felt like he had an argument to make, he'd pull up articles to back whatever he was saying. It was something he and LaFontaine had in common. LaFontaine was known for referring back to scientific journals they'd read in their many arguments over the supernatural and the scientific. They supposed they could hardly fault JP for doing the same thing.

 

"I know, JP," they said. "I'm just working on a project, is all."

 

_`Oooh? A project? You haven't told me about this! :D`_

 

LaFontaine paused. 

 

Well, they supposed they'd have to tell him eventually, anyway. And if they were doing everything right, they might have it all together tonight.

 

"It's actually sort of a present for you," they explained.

 

_`A present???? FOR ME??? :D :D :D` _

 

They smiled wider.  "How would you like to actually be able to talk, not just type your words out on a screen?"

 

_`Oh, that'd be wonderful! I've gotten used to typing, but it's so much harder to convey emotions! :'( But if I could talk again, I wouldn't ever have to worry about that! We could have long conversations and you wouldn't have to wait for me to just type things out! I'd LOVE that!` _

 

"Well, I think I might have created a program that'll let you speak. With actual emotion in your voice, not just some weird computer monotone like Microsoft Sam," LaFontaine said. "I'm reading up on how to finalize it, and then we can test it."

 

`:D :D :D :D :D :D` 

 

LaFontaine chuckled to themselves again, before reading over the chapter one last time. They fished the USB they've been storing this project on out of their pocket, and kissed it. For the love of God, they begged it, please work. 

 

They plugged it into the computer and pulled the program up. It was rather simple and unsophisticated - after all, only JP would be using it, at least for now. 

 

"Okay, JP, this may sound a little weird," they said, "but I need to upload the program into you - well, your file. That's how it'll be your voice, like, the one you had when you were alive."

 

_`Since coming here, I've helped fight evil vampire cults, had a library try to kill me, and lived inside a filing system. I barely even know what "weird" is anymore. Upload it. ` _

 

That was the JP spirit LaFontaine loved.

 

They typed a few lines of code, copied it into JP's file, and crossed their fingers, and waited. 

 

Ten agonizingly quiet minutes later, the words UPLOAD COMPLETED flashed on the screen.

 

The program was working, according to the computer.

 

"...JP," they said, slowly, "can you talk?"

 

Ten seconds passed. 

 

_"LaFontaine,"_ a voice said, echoing and almost distant, but so, so wonderful to hear, _"I think you've done it!"_

 

Despite the fact that it was nearly five in the morning, LaFontaine cheered out loud, whooping as they threw their hands over their head.

 

"Holy shit!" they said, lowering their voice again. "Holy fucking shit! You can talk!"

 

_"I can!"_ JP said. His voice was still slightly computerized, but it was undoubtedly human. This was the voice that had once belonged to a living, breathing JP Armitage, and now, it was his again. _"I can talk! Oh, God, I never realized how much I missed it until now! How do I sound? Do I sound good? Do I sound real?"_

 

LaFontaine nodded, tears forming in their eyes. "You sound as real as anyone else I've met," they said.

 

_"Oh, LaF - don't cry, why are you crying?"_ His voice broke with some sadness, which just made LaFontaine cry more. His emotions, his voice - real. All real.

 

"They're good tears," they said. "I just - I can't believe it. God, I can actually hear your voice now. It's so surreal." LaFontaine wiped their eyes on the back of their hand. "Tell me a story - tell me anything. Even one I've already heard. I just want to hear you talk."

 

And so JP talked. He talked for nearly a full hour, as LaFontaine moved the laptop to the bed, resting it on one pillow while they lay their head on another. They laid on their side, facing the screen, looking at the one picture they had to represent what JP looked like. They let JP's voice wash over them, taking it all in. Their eyelids grew heavy, but they didn't want to sleep - they just wanted to hear JP talk more. He talked about everything - where he grew up, why he came to Silas, how he discovered the supernatural - and nothing - what foods he'd liked to eat, how he'd first discovered Netflix when he was living on the Internet, his favorite websites to browse while LaFontaine was in class. And LaFontaine listened to it all.

 

Finally, the talking petered out.

 

_"You should sleep,"_ he finally said. _"It's nearly six."_

 

"I guess," they said. "Thank God I don't have class."

 

_"...I love you, LaFontaine."_

 

Their head perked up, staring at the screen. Before they could reply, his voice continued talking.

 

_"I know it's a bit odd to say that when you're a real person, with flesh and blood and everything, and I'm a file on a computer with memories, but I do have feelings, and... and I know that I love you. I have for a long time now, but it felt odd to just type it. And now I don't have to type it, I can say it. So if I'm moving too quickly, you can tell me, but now that I have an actual voice, I felt like maybe it was the right time for me to say... I'll stop. I guess I haven't talked in so long I forgot where good stopping points are."_

 

He sounded embarrassed, almost ashamed. LaFontaine sat up slightly.

 

"You don't have to stop," they said. "...I love you, too, JP."

 

They know they can't actually see him, but they're sure they sense him smiling.

 

_"And that seems like a good stopping point for the both of us tonight. Go to bed."_

 

"Gah, so naggy! Here I make my big declaration of love, and you tell me to sleep," they said, but they got under the covers anyway, laughing. "Goodnight, JP."

 

_"Good night, LaF. I love you."_

 

"I love you, too."

 

In that moment, hearing his voice tell them that he loved them, LaFontaine wondered how they could've doubted, even for a moment, that talking to JP would feel real.


End file.
